Melbourne Motor Show: Bolwell Nagari

The Melbourne Motor Show has become the stage for the re-birth of Australian sports car legend Bolwell, with the all-new Australian-made Nagari making its debut only moments ago.

The new Nagari is the dream car of Campbell Bolwell, who built the original Nagari in the 1970s in collaboration with his brother Graeme.

After giving up car making in the 1980s the brothers’ company was successful in other engineering and moulding projects but Campbell Bolwell kept his dream alive.

“I was over in Canada for few years making wind turbine blades, and when I came back I said ‘it’s time I built another car,” he said.

A true Australian-made mid-engined sports car, the Bolwell Nagari coupe features a carbon fibre composite monocoque shell, and is powered by a Toyota-sourced supercharged 3.5-litre V6 engine – similar to that developed for the Aurion TRD.

We don’t have to use Toyota but we think it’s probably the best, most suitable part for it,” Campbell Bolwell said.

It’s light, it’s efficient, all all-alloy, quad cam and 24-valve. The whole engine and transmission weighs about 230kg which is why we can make the car under a tonne.”

Weighing in at under 900kg, the sprint to 100km/h should be accomplished in supercar territory – under 4 seconds.